Leather-dressing machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. SHAW. LEATHER DRESSING MACHINE.

Ill/VENTOI? 2544 l/w Patented Apr. '7, 1891.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. SHAW.

LEATHER DRESSING MACHINE. "No. 449,707. Patented Apr. '7, 1891.

WITNESSES: l/VVE/VTO/i 464%, W 41; M

0- 4 By W ym ATTORNEY m! NORRXS Finis cm, vumo-umov, msmmvau, u c.

UNrrEn STATES PATENT EErcE.

LEATHER-DRESSING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,707, dated April 7', 1891.

' Application filed Aprl11,1889. Serial No. 305,608. (No model.) A

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THAXTER SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vance borough, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Machine for Reducing Spots on Hides in the Process of Tanning; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a machine for reducing spots on hides in the processof tanning, and is illustrated in the'accompanying draw ings in two sheets, inwhich Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my machine as set up ready for use. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the drum of my de 'vice with its supports. Fig. 3 is a side view of the manner of constructing the upper part of my device and attaching the same to a wall. Fig. 4 is a front View of the construction shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the entire machine as constructed and set up in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan of the head or upper part of my machine as constructed when the main shaft and driving-pulley are situated nearer the wall than is shown in the other figures. Fig. '7 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. 6.

Similar letters of reference refer to correspondingly like parts through the different figures.

Inthe process of tanning after the hides have been unhaired and cleaned they are placed in tan-pits filled with tannin-liquor and steeped by being successively handled or transferred from vats containing a weak solution to those of a stronger mixture. During this process of handling there invariably appears upon the grain side of the hides more or less white and yellow spots, which if allowed to remain grow more distinct as the process continues and spoil the leather for the market. These spots have a greasy appearance and cannot be penetrated by the tanninliquor until removed or raised,whichlatterprocess has previously been done either by acids applied to the spots or by rubbing the same by hand with a gritty substance, such as pieces of grindstone or brick. The objections to these two methods are that the former impairs the strength of the leather, while the latter is necessarily slow, tedious, and thus expensive, and it is to overcome these objections and produce a machine that will quickly and effectively reduce the said spots without injury to the hides thatI have invented my device, which consists of a drum or cylinder mounted upon standards in such manner as to allow both a revolving and lateral motion, and a suspended swinging apparatus carrying a rapidly-revolving wheel composed of a fine gritty substance located above the drum and adapted to be operated upon its surface, as will now be described.

In the drawings, A represents a drum or cylinder with closed ends, constructed of a sufficient size for the purpose desired and containing a shaft B extending longitudinally through its center and projecting some distance beyond its ends. This shaft 13 may be confined to the drum A in any usual manner, and I have shown it with face-plates a rigidly fastened to the shaft and then bolted to each end of the drum. The drum A is held horizontally a sufficient height above the floor by having the projecting ends of the shaft B rest upon grooved wheels D, which in turn are adapted to travel upon short tracks Z, confined to upright supports 0, placed each side of the shaft and firmly bolted to the floor, as shown in Figs. 1,2,and 5. By this arrange ment the drum A can be easily revolved by hand as the nature of the work requires, and also moved longitudinally toward either suport. p The supports 0, I preferably construct of iron rods, by leaving a short distance in the center for the track Z, bending the rod upward at each end of the track and doubling or making a return-bend of these upward portions at a short distance above the track Z, and finishing the ends in a manner to be attached to the floor. The short projections at each end of the track Z above the same serve to prevent the axes of the grooved wheels D from running beyond the ends of the track.

Fastened to the wall in such position that it will swing and operate over the surface of the drum A is an attachment carrying the scouring or raising wheel, constructed as fol surface rises flush with the latter.

lows: Using the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 5, two short strips of wood H H are fastened to the wall I by having their ends secured by bolts or other means to a eleat or beam located a sufficient height upon the said wall. The projecting ends of the strips l-[ are connected by the cross-piece i, from which depends two arnrsupports G G, supported and rigidly held by braces T, counectcd thereto and fastened to the wall I. The depending ends of the arm-supports G are provided with lateral holes bored therein, through which a circular rod 6 is inserted. This rod 6 has attached thereon and depending therefrom the two arms F F, which are of sufficient length to extend down to and over the top of the drum A. The lower ends of the arms F are connected by a cross-piece 'u, (shown in Fig. 5,) from which projects a handle 7b of sufficient length to accommodate the operator. Just above the cross-piece u is a shaft carrying a grinding wheel E and provided with a belt-pulley t. This shaft is confined to the arms F by boxes thereon, connected in the usual way, and the said shaft is revolved by means of a belt I), passing around the pulley t and over the driving-pulley V of larger diameter, situated between the armsupports G G and confined to a main or counter shaft J. The driving-pulley \V should be made with a broad surface, in order to allow for a slight lateral movement of the arms F F of the frame. This lateral movement may be attained in several different ways.

In Figs. 1, 5, G, and 7, the arms F F are attached to the cross-rod 6 between the armsupports in such a manner as to allow a slight lateral play by means of the cross-rod e sliding through the holes bored in the said supports.

In Figs. 3 and 4c the wall-strips II II are attached to the wall at an acute angle, and the cross-barf connecting their outer ends is mortised into the said wall-strips, and its upper Braces T support and add stability to the said wallstrips H. The arm-supports G G are constructed the same as hereinbefore described with the addition of a cross-bar 7.:, connecting their upper ends opposite those to which the arms F F are attached. The arm-supports G G are pivoted to the wall-pieces II by the use of a bolt 0, passing through the center of their respective cross-bars i and 70, this construction allowing the desired side movement. The grindingwheel E is prevented from touching the surface of the drum A when not in use by means of a spring of any desired form suspended above and connected to the lower part of the arms F.

The manner of using my machine is as follows: A spotted hide is laid upon the drum A, grain-side up, and the drum moved by hand until the spot to be treated is brought under the rapidlyrevolving grinding-wheel E. The operator, by the use of the handle it,

brings the grindingwheel to bear upon the grease-spot, and by the slight lateral move ment of the arms F, combined with the different motions of the drum A, grinds orraises the entire surface of the grease-spot sufficiently to obliterate the latter. All spots upon a hide can thus be effectively treated in a very few moments, and when raised and placed in the vats will receive the tannin and color the same as the rest of the hide.

Having thus described my invention and the manner in which it is used,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a machine for the purpose described, the drum A, the shaft B, projecting longitudinal] y from each end thereof, the standards C, attached to the floor in pairs near each end of the drum and provided with short tracks Z at their upper portions, the rollers D, having their axes traveling on the said tracks Z and their periphery grooved to receive the shaft 13, in combination with a revolving grindingwheel connected to a suitable power medium and attached to a vertically-moving hinged frame or arms F F in such manner as to be supported over said drum and adapted to be brought in contact with the surface of the latter at the will of the operator, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a machine for the purpose described, the grinding apparatus consisting of the strips H, projecting from the wall, the armsupports G, attached to the strips 1]. and supported by braces T or other means, the driving-pulley IV, located between the armsupports and attached to a main or counter shaft connected with a suitable power medium, the swinging arms F, hinged to the arm-supports depending therefrom and containing the operating-handle 7L at their lower ends with the grinding-wheel E and its shaft confined to the arms F and operated by a belt passing over the driving-pulley \V, in combination with a cylindrical drum A, having protruding longitudinal axes mounted upon suitable supports in such manner as to allow both a revolving and longitudinal movement, all substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth and described.

A machine for reducing spots on hides, consisting of the combination of the grinding apparatus composed of the wall-strips H, arm-supports G, swinging arms F with operating handle and suspending spring, grinding-wheel E with its shaft and pulley, driving-pulley \V', located between the armsupports, for the purpose described, with the drum A, having the extending shaft 13, supports C, with tracks Z at their upper portions, and grooved wheels D, traveling on said tracks and supporting the drum-shaft 13 each side of the drum, substantially as shown and described.

ITO

4. A machine for the purpose described,

of the operator, substantially in the manner shown, and for the purpose set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 23d day of March, A. D. 1889.

THAXTER SHAW.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES HUNTER, GEO. W. Ross. 

